Forequarter of Lamb with Chickpea Cream and Fennel Salad

In this tempting new recipe series, we show you how easy it is to whip up an Ultimate Easter Feast using the latest kitchen appliances from Harvey Norman! On today’s menu: Forequarter of Lamb with Chickpea Cream and Fennel Salad.

Serves 8

Prep Time 30mins

Cook Time 3hrs 15mins plus soaking

Forequarter of Lamb Ingredients

1 forequarter of lamb (about 2kg), jointed (see note)

400ml each dry white wine and chicken stock

60ml extra virgin olive oil (¼ cup)

5 garlic cloves, halved plus 1-2 heads of garlic, halved

To serve: Pan-fried rosemary stalks

Forequarter of Lamb Chickpea Cream Ingredients

1kg dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, drained

5 garlic cloves

200ml hot chicken stock

150ml mild-flavoured extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1½ lemons

Garnish with sweet paprika

Forequarter of Lamb Fennel Salad Ingredients

2 cups (loosely packed) micro herbs

2 baby fennel bulbs, shaved on a mandolin, placed in iced water until required, drained

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

 

Forequarter of Lamb with Chickpea Cream and Fennel Salad Method

1. Preheat oven to 250°C. Place lamb in a large roasting pan. Cut 1cm deep incisions into the thick sections of the lamb and stuff with garlic. Pour wine, stock and oil over, season well to taste and roast until starting to turn golden (15 minutes). Reduce oven to 150°C and roast, basting frequently, until meat falls from the bone (2½-3 hours). In the final 30 minutes of cooking add heads of garlic, cooking until golden. Pour cooking juices into a saucepan. Place over medium heat until reduced by half.

2. For chickpea cream, combine chickpeas and enough cold water to cover generously in a saucepan (do not salt water), bring to the boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, adding garlic in last 20 minutes of cooking (45 minutes-1 hour). Drain, transfer chickpeas to KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor in batches and blend until chickpeas break down. Return half of the broken-down chickpeas to the food processor bowl. Gradually add half the amount of stock and oil, process to a smooth purée, add lemon juice and salt to taste and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

3. For fennel salad, toss ingredients to combine in a bowl and set aside.

4. Serve lamb drizzled with pan juice topped with pan-fried rosemary and roasted garlic and a side of Chickpea Cream and salad.